Research and monitoring to develop fundamental understanding of ecosystem function and distributions, physical and biological components and trophic dynamics for freshwater, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems and the human and fish and wildlife communitie

Small wetlands in this large area have hosted migratory birds for a long time, but with changes in agricultural practice and regional climate those habitats may not remain hospitable to the wild populations.

This web site is an outgrowth of an agreement between the USGS and the New England Aquarium, designed to summarize and make available results of scientific research. It will also present educational material of interest to wide audiences.

Combining genetic data with current and predicted climate scenarios, we are modeling the predicted future distributions of wildlife populations in the Arctic and identifying key environmental variables that determine important animal habitat.

Three themes of ongoing research: forecasting polar bear and walrus population response to changing marine ecosystems; measuring wildlife population changes in the Arctic coastal plain, and wildlife communities in the boreal-Arctic transition zone.

Changes in Arctic sea ice and permafrost will likely affect populations of wildlife. Migratory birds such as loons rely on freshwater lakes in the Arctic for nesting and food supply; we are studying how their populations are affected by these changes.

Loss of sea ice has increased ocean wave action, changing coastal habitats. For some geese this has been a positive change, increasing the amount of coastal area that supports vegetation the geese feed on.

Overview of interdisciplinary research studies in Glacier National Park to understand how this mountain wilderness responds to present climatic variability and other external stressors, such as air pollution, and links to detailed reports.

Changes in both the ocean and coastal ecosystems may have negative effects on sea otter populations in the coastal Northwest and Alaska. A study underway will examine these factors and the overall health of sea otter populations.

Describes research to assess the effectiveness of the current system and distribution of marine reserves and protected areas in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico for conserving reef ecosystems and resources.

Home page of the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, providing research and technical support for ecosystem management in the western U.S. Links to projects, field stations, fact sheets, partnerships, and publications.

This study reconstructs past interactions among ecosystem factors, native species, and human land use in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem to provide a context for future management to sustain both ecological and human communities.

Research results (publications, photographs, maps) on ecological processes within the Mojave Desert Ecosystem to provide land managers with scientific understanding and tools needed to conserve and restore threatened desert landscapes.

GIS application for assessing, mapping, and quantifying the social value of ecosystem services. Helps decision makers consider tradeoffs among them with the human attitudes and preferences that express underlying social values.

Project is designed to integrate studies from a number of researchers compiling data from terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems within south Florida. Links to publications, maps, posters, and data of studies.

Links to reports of aquatic ecosystems research at the Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC) emphasizing the understanding of ecological processes for aquatic systems, including river basins, riparian areas, wetlands, and estuaries.

Main page for accessing links for information and data on the San Francisco Bay estuary and its watershed with links to highlights, water, biology, wetlands, hazards, digital maps, geologic mapping, winds, bathymetry and overview of the Bay.

Clearinghouse for the description and availability of multiple geospatial datasets relating to Alaska from many federal, state and local cooperating agencies under the coordination of the Alaska Geographic Data Committee.

Updated summaries of research in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, on caribou, muskoxen, predators (grizzly bears, wolves, golden eagles), polar bears, snow geese and their wildlife habitats with maps of land-cover and vegetation.

Previous analysis showed this area to have reduced macroinvertebrate biodiversity, an important measure of ecosystem health. New observations indicate that conditions have improved; report includes methods and results of sampling.

Project of the Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science program that evaluates the transport and sedimentation of contaminates through the Mississippi River and Atchafalaya River delta to the near-shore Gulf of Mexico. Includes aerial photographs.

A geologic and oceanographic study of the waters and Continental Shelf of Gulf of the Farallones adjacent to the San Francisco Bay region. The results of the study provide a scientific basis to evaluate and monitor human impact on the marine environment.

A web-enabled database that provides for the capture, curation, integration, and delivery of bioassessment data collected by USGS, principally macroinvertebrate, algae, fish, and supporting habitat data from rivers and streams.

Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program is designed to assess and monitor the effects of environmental contaminants on biological resources with links to detailed information on specific species.

Fact sheet on the need to protect biological soil crusts in the desert. These crusts are most of the soil surface in deserts not covered by green plants and are inhabited by cyanobacterium (blue-green algae) and other organisms useful to the ecosystem.

Explains how critical information about dispersal and gene flow in sage-grouse populations can be obtained from the DNA coded in the sage-grouse feathers collected at their communal breeding grounds, which are called "leks".

Description of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts) and lichens (dual organisms of a fungus and an alga or a cyanobacterium) that are part of forest ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest with information on habitat and conservation.

Manual for research program on the nesting habits of sea turtles of the Virgin Islands, with descriptions of species, nesting behavior, observation methods, record keeping, tagging, and tissue sample collection. (PDF file, 121 pp.)

Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) poses a problem in the deserts of the United States, growing in dense stands and introducing a wildfire risk in an ecosystem not adapted to fire. This report explains what we are doing to help mitigate its effects.

Identification of epiphytes (plants obtaining moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and usually living on another plant) on seaweed in Tampa Bay, Florida. Abstract of symposium presentation with photos.

Detailed publication on the classification system for an inventory of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States used to describe ecological taxa and arrange them in a system useful to resource managers.

Declines in fish and wildlife populations, water-quality issues, and changes in coastal habitats have prompted this USGS study of the region's nearshore life and environment. Includes links to data from published reports.

Website for the Columbia Environmental Research Center with links to staff, publications, databases, field stations, and projects including those on the Rio Grande, burrowing owls, sea turtles, and geospatial technology.

Web site for an Internet Map Service (IMS) serving base cartographic data, USGS data, science applications and real time modelling analyses for the Columbia River basin using geospatial analysis technology.

The information provided in the CEE-TV database profiles available geo-referenced information on contaminant exposure and effects in terrestrial vertebrates along the U. S. coasts. The database utilizes Microsoft's Access 2000 for Windows.

Assessment of the importance of the Conservation Reserve Program in preventing the decline of grassland breeding birds by preserving grassland habitats in North Dakota. Published as Wilson Bulletin v. 107 no. 4, pp. 709-718 (1995).

Report with mini-movie and photos on the hypothesis that the atmospheric transport of dust arising from the desertification in northern Africa led to algal infestation of corals, coral diseases, and the near extinction of associated sea urchins.

Shows how coral reef specimens are collected, the type of information gained from them, and the methods by which they are measured and studied to understand recent (past few centuries) changes in climate.

Three mathematical models using information about the geographic distribution and character of land surface characteristics along with proposed modifications or plausible events to determine the likely costs and benefits of actions and events.

Use of diatoms in biostratigraphy, coastal and estuarine studies, paleoceanology, paleoliminology, earthquake studies, environmental quality and forensic studies. Includes listing of USGS diatom projects and links to other diatom websites.

Comprehensive bibliography on the ecology, conservation, and management of North American waterfowl and their wetland habitats. Facilitates searching or downloading as *.zip files and use with ProCite utility.

Satellite images of geographic areas of interest, cities, deserts, glaciers, geologic features, disaster areas, water bodies, and wildlife linked with articles, maps, and other images such as AVHRR, photographs, and special project images.

Comparison of water in two adjacent watersheds before and after implementing a brush management strategy in one of the watersheds helps us see what water resource characteristics are sensitive to brush management and how.

By measuring the current and historical growth rates of coral skeletons, and using field experiments, we intend to find out whether rising atmospheric CO2 and rising sea levels will cause coral reefs to erode and cease to function.

Study of the effects of the practice of cycling municipal nutrient-enriched wastewater from holding ponds through forested wetlands. Studies were in the Cypiere Perdue Swamp, Louisiana, and the Drummond Bog, Wisconsin.